[33] Michel Scott: “De procreatione hominis physionomia.” Work published in 1477, but written in 1250, for the author was born in 1210. [34] It was Fracastor who gave venereal diseases the name of syphilis in his poem “Syphilis sive Morbus Gallicus,” published at Verona in 1530. According to Ricord, syphilis is derived from the Greek words _sus_, pork, and _philia_, love (love for pork). _Gorre_ in the Romanesque language long before had the same signification. [35] The Provencal text in the original reads as follows: “La reino vol que toudes lous samdes la Baylouno et un barbier deputat des consouls visitoun todos las filios debauchados, que seran au Bourdeou; et si sen trobo qualcuno qu’abia mal vengut de paillardiso, que talos filios sion separados et lougeados a part afin que non las counougoun, por evita lou mal que la jouinesso pourrie prendre.” [36] Astruc: “De Morbis Venereis,” chap. viii. [37] Jean de Gaddesen: “De concubitu cum muliera leprosa, in Rosa Anglica.” [38] “Cyrurgia Guidonis de Cauliaco.” [39] Torella: “De Pudendagra Tractatus.” [40] “The reign of astrology,” remarks Sprengle, “led physicians to attribute the affection to the influence of the stars. Saturn who devoured his children, had, following the common expression, produced the pox. It was his conjunction with Mars, in the sign of the Virgin, that gave rise to the epidemic. Or it was the conjunction of Jupiter with Saturn in Scorpio, as in 1484. At other times it was the opposition of these two planets, as was noticed in 1494. Finally, it was the conjunction of Saturn and Mars, as in 1496. (“If it was the combined action of Saturn, Jupiter and Mars in the sign of the Virgin that produced the syphilis, the astrologers might well think that Mercury could destroy the effects of the disease, which would be better than bleeding or purging.”) Leonicus attributed the cause of the venereal plague to the general inundations that occurred about that period, _i.e._, 1493, and afterwards in 1528. Besides, they recognized as a cause of these venereal symptoms a general acridity of the humors and the pre eminence of the four cardinal humors, but more especially of a metastasis of bilious matter from the liver towards the genital organs.” [41] “De Morbo Gallico.” [42] “Antiquites de Paris,” Tome III., by Sauval. [43] “Observations et histoires chirurgiques,” 1670, Geneve. [44] Antoine Lecocq, “De ligno sancto.” [45] The use of mercury, _larga manu_, in frictions was commenced in 1497. [46] Rabelais himself had attended syphilitic patients at Lyons, and perhaps elsewhere, with more or less success. He says, in fact, in the fifth book of Pantagruel, that among impossible things it is necessary to class a quintessence “warranted to cure the pox, as they say at Rouen.” Now, be it known that syphilis of Rouen was of such a bad type that it passed for an incurable malady. From whence the proverb, “For Rouen pox and Paris itch there’s no remedy.”